Sugar dispenser



May 23, 1939.

N. L. DOOTSON SUGAR DISPENSER Filed Aug. 13, 1938 NoRMArv L. DoorsoN ATTORNEY.

Patented May 23, 1939 PATENT OFFICE SUGAR DISPENSER Norman L. Dootson, San Francisco. Calif., assigner of one-half to Charles W. Bassett, Antloch, Calif.

Application August 13, 1938, Serial No. 224,791,

l Claims. (Ci. IIL-62) This invention relates to granulated sugar dispensers for use on the dining table and has for its object an improved dispenser adapted to replace the customary sugar bowl, and which will enable the user to accurately gage the amount of sugar poured out while not restrict- Iing him to any xed amount, and Vwhich will also permit the sprinkling of sugar, as upon pancakes, mush, sliced fruit or the like.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description and accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is an elevation of one form of my improved sugar dispenser, portion being shown in section to better reveal the internal construction.

Figure 2 is a. view similar to that of Figure 1, but shows a modified closure construction as well as other features. 20 Figure 3 is a side view of a portion of Figure 2 as seen from the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 shows the upper portion of a further modification in the flow controlling guard at the base of the measuring spout of the dispenser, also the general arrangement of the spout.

Before describing my invention it may be said that sugar dispensers as atpresent used in restaurants consist ,of a simple jar with a spout on top through which the sugar runs out when the jar is sudiciently tilted, but when pouring the sugar from such a dispenser into, say a cup of coffee, there is no means of knowing .how much has been poured in as the sugar promptly becomes invisible upon entering the cup. To avoid this, a user commonly pours the sugar from the dispenser to a spoon to measure it and then into the coffee.

Prior patents show various forms of Idispensers which will denitely measure or limit the amount which runs ou-t upon each inversion of the container, but insofar as it is known such devices do not provide for running out of small fractional amounts, nor large amounts, say two or three teaspoonfuls Withoutseveral inversions of the' container.

The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the dispensers above considered -in providing Vfor the discharge of any reasonable amount of sugar with a single inversion or tilt- 50 ing of the container, yet gives an accurate measurement of the amount iiowing out of the spout.

' Briey described, -the invention may be said to consist of a jar or suitable container for the granulated sugar which is preferably transparent, and vwhich is provided on its upper end with a sugar measuring neck or spout. This neck or spout must be of transparent material, or atv least a portion of its Wall for the length thereof should be transparent, and it constitutes a measuring receptacle. This neck or spout is preferably closed at the outer end by a suitable hinged lid, or otherwise, so that upon opening of the cap the sugar can freely or rather instantly flow from the neck to empty the same. In order to prevent the body of the sugar in the container following the measured amount decided uponr and which it is desired to eject from the spout, I provide a suitable guard or restriction at the base of the neck or spout, and which' guard will only permit the sugar from the container proper to run rather slowly into the neck when the container is inverted or tipped at a suiicient angle. Thus the sugar may be allowed to run into the transparent neck to iill it up to the desired point as indicated by suitable indicia marked on the side ,of the neck, the end of the spout quickly uncovered, and the measured contents of the neck instantly discharged and the lid permitted to close before any appreciable amount' of sugar has again entered through theY guard aforementioned.

As a further feature of the invention I may provide a screen or sieve at a point below the guard to prevent any lumped or caked sugar from closing oif the guard, and which screen preferably will incorporate provisions to aid in breaking up any lumps which may be formed so that they will freely pass the guard after passing the screen.

Several' modifications and possible changes in detail of the invention are shown in the drawi118- In'Figure 1 the jar or container is indicated at l as being made of glass open to -its full diameter at the bottom for filling with sugar, and provided with a metal closure cap 2 which may be screwed over the lower end of the jar as indicated at 3. In this showing the sugar measuring neck or spout is indicated at l and is formed integrally with the body and terminating at its upper end at an angle as indicated, the outer end being covered by a sheet metal lid 5 pivoted at 6 to a suitable strap. 1 which seats around the neck in a slight groove formed therein (see 43 in Figure 4). 'I'he lid 5 is provided-with a downwardly extending finger lever 8 which may be pressed to open it to the dotted position shown at 5', and the lid is normally closed by a suitable spring 9.

As an optional feature I provide a splash guard In adjacent the high end of the nozzle, and which guard is'preferably made of thin sheet metal or transparent material such as Celluloid,

lplastic, or the like, and is held in place by the band 'I clamping it into the groove 43. The object of this splash guard will be later explained.

'diameter and relatively long.

size of this orifice should be such that when the container is inverted the sugar will run relatively slowly into the larger nomle or neck and gradually ll the same up to the variouspoints of graduation one after the other, and so that at any instant upon a quick opening of the llid 5 by a pressure of the finger against the lever 8, all of .the sugar already within the neck will instantly discharge itself before any appreciable amount can run through the restricted orifice I3. The lid 5 'is of course immediately released as soon as the sugar has run out of the neck and whereupon the gradual filling of the neclrtalres place over again and a subsequent e of more sugar may be made if desired. lwhereas if the container is replaced. on the table what sugarthereisintheneckwillmnbackinto the container.

In using the container in the manner described, the actual period of time the lid l is opened to `discharge the sugar need not be more than half -a second, during which time the amount of sugar running through restricted orice I3 need not be considered, though it may be allowed for in placing the graduations II on the neck of the device if desired.

A feature which may be incorporated in the device to absolutely stop any of the slight outow from orice I3 during the discharge of the measured quantity in the neck, consists in the use of a small ball valve Il suspended on a wire I5, pivotally connected to the under side of the lid at I5. This wire I5 may incorporate a small spiral spring portion II, and when this is used the ball I 4 will at once seatitself against the under side of the restricted opening I3 as the lid 5 is opened.

A further and important feature of the device is the provision of a transversely arranged screen disc at I 8. This .disc is preferably frictionally snapped into place in a groove I8 and is pro vided with a handle 20 so that it may be forcibly Withdrawn if desired for cleaning. The screen holes 2I in this disc are preferably somewhat smaller than the holes through the guard I3 so as not to pass any lumps which might clog the guard. The holes are preferably formed by punching the metal downwardly and permitting the punched out metal to project downwardly in the form of teeth 22 which willhave a tendency to break up any lumps of sugar when the container is inverted. The small handle 2II will aid to this end.

When the "containeris inverted, if the lid I is permitted to snap closed too abruptly especially before the last of the. sugar has' -le'ft the nozzle. there may be a tendency to throwsome of the sugar laterally of the nozzle. This is prevented by the. use of the guard I0 previously described. A proper use of the container, however, would not require the guard IIJ to be used. While I show one restricted orifice I3 in the guard I2, it is of course evident that it may have two or more, if their total area is of a size to restrict the flow suiilciently into the nozzle I when the same is inverted and so that upon opening of the lid 5 the bulk of the contents of the neck 'l will be almost instantly discharged before any substantial amount of sugar will again come through the restricted opening or openings.

It is of course evident that the lid 5 may take various forms, the showing in the present drawu ing being merely illustrative and in no way limiting in the form of lid to be provided.

In Figures 2 and 3 a two-leaf lid is shown and wherein the two leaves of the lid each of which covers half ofthe upper end of the spout are designated23. These half lids are each pivoted at 24 to a suitable band 25 which passes around the upper end of the neck of the spout here designated 28, and an extension 21 fromrthe hinged end of each half lid is linked as by-a wire 28 with a spring wire hand lever 29 loosely embracing the lower end of the neck and secured at 30 to a wire band 3I.

By this construction the inherent resiliency of the spring wire 29 forces the links 28 upwardly to normally snap the lids closed, and a downward pressure of the projecting end 29' of the sprlngwire will instantly open both lids to the dotted position shown at 23'. By continuing the downward movement of the nger engaging the portion 28 of the springwire, the fingerl will slip oi! of It and permit the lids to snap closed.

In the construction shown inI Figure 2' the spout 26 is made of glass or transparent plastic, preferably the latter, and it is held in place at its lower end in a sheet metal stamping 32 which is formed with a threaded lower end 33 to screw over the upper threaded end 34 of a glass' or i other suitable Jar: or container 35. Thisconstruction simplifies the adaptation of the invention to an ordinary glass jar or common type of sugar dispensing container which has the upper end threaded. In other words, it merely becomes necessary to u nscrew the present metal cap andnozzle provided on an ordinary sugar dispenser and screw the cap 32 of applicants dispenser in its place.

In the construction of Figures 2 and 3 the screen I8 is shown clamped between the cap 32 and the upper end of the jar. guard at the base of the neck is here indicated as I2 and shown with two relatively small open- The restricting ings I3'. This disc may be frictionally snapped 'terminates straight oi instead of being slanted as shown in Figure 1, but this is optional.

In Figure 4 the container is indicated at 38, the transparent measuring neck at 39, and the latter is shown extending at a slant from the container. This construction is optional with any of the other features shown. In this gure of the drawing the guard or restriction at the lower end of the measuring neck is indicated at 40, and is shown as a screen having several'restricted openings 4I should permit but a relatively slow iiow of sugar into the measuring neck when the device is inverted. This screen may also have its openings punched to form projections l2 which would function the same as the projections 22 of Figure 1.' By proper proportioningof the openings Il in the construction shown in Figure 4 theI guard could take the place of the vscreen 2| as well as the restricted opening I3 of Figure 1. 'I'his guard 40 is preferably a thin metal or composition disc snapped tightly into a groovevformed in the interior and at the base of the neck 39 as indicated. A lid has been, shown onvthe outer 1 end of the neck in this iigiire, but it has been already suiiiciently described for the other figures. In considering my invention as above de-J scribed, it` will be noted that one of the essenp tials is that the measuring neck must be transfeature of the invention, i. e. the provision for Y accurately measuring the'amount of sugar one wishes to use before discharging the same into the cup or upon the food. I'his does not mean that'the entire neck need be transparent, though this is preferable and is the simplest construction, but if a portion of the neck were transparent for substantially its length so that the sugar could be seen to the various gage or graduation points' it would be suiiicient.

It will be obvious from the'construction that when it is desired to merely sprinkle some sugar upon the food, this may be easily done by partially opening the lid 5 and sprinkling the sugar from the partiallyl inverted container to any degree desired.

Having thus described my invention and several of its modications, what I claim is:

1. A granulated sugar dispenser comprising a containerfo'r the sugar provided with a discharge,

neck, a closure at the outer end of the neck, and aflow guard arranged and adapted to restrict the ow of sugar from the container to the neck below its ability to iiow from the outer end of the neck when said closure is opened, said neckghavwhich taken altogether' ing a transparent portion to show the amount of sugar owing into the neck upon inverting the container.

2. A granulated sugar dispenser comprising a container for the sugar provided with a discharge neck, a closure at the outer end of the neck, and

inverting the container and suitably graduatedl to show the amount of sugar containedin the neck.

3. In the construction as set out4 in claim 1,

the outer end of said neck cut cil at a slant. land said closure closing the slanted end.

4. In the construction as set out in claim 1, a valve for closing oif said flow guard.

5. In the' construction as set out in claim 1, said closure being a lid, and a valve for closing oir said flow guard connected to said lid in a manner to close the guardwhen the lid is opened.

6. In the construction as set out in claim 1, said closure being a lid pivoted to open, and a splash guard on said neck in a position to preventsugar being thrown laterally by the' quick y projections extending toward the container space.

9. In the construction as set out in claim 1, said neck being entirely of transparent material and of unrestricted diameter at its outer end.

10. A sugar dispenser comprising a container for the sugar provided with a discharge neck, a closure at the outer end of the neck, an inlet adjacent the base of the neck, and a valve for closing said inlet, said neck having a transparent portion to show the amount of sugar iiowing into the neck.

NORMAN L. DOOTSON. 

